PHDH905 Health and social care services research. Contextual conditions for health, function and participation

Contents and structure

The course highlights contextual conditions for health, function and participation at the individual, organisational and policy levels, and how the connection between these levels has implications for professional practice and those receiving health and social care services. Central themes are how welfare state models influence the delivery of health and social care and how the services are perceived by the service users. The course highlights the different contextual conditions for health and social services, such as political, legalizational, organizational, material, economical and social  conditions.  New forms of management and organization of health and social services will be critically illuminated and examined. The topic facilitates critical reflections on whom "health problems" are a problem for; is it  a problem for patients, relatives and / or communities with their professionals.

Learning Outcome

After completing the course, the student

Knowledge:

The student ...

• is able to critically reflect on different forms of public governance in the welfare state, and the implications this will have for health care professionals and recipients (users, patients, clients)
• has in-depth knowledge of welfare research in relation to health, function and participation
• has extensive knowledge on how individuals' health, function and participation are influenced by organizational, legalizational frames, as well as prioritizations and division of responsibilities between health and social care services

Skills:

The student ...

• can identify  and problematize their own project using different perspectives on the relationship between context and health, function and participation in relation to contextual frames
• know how to critical examine different forms of governance and organization in health and welfare services
• can analyze how different contextual conditions influence the service providers and service users relevant in the candidates own project General competence:

General competence:

The student ...

• is able to critically reflect on how new and older forms of health and social care services  work, and can analyze how these services influence patients' health, function and participation
• can carry out research in line with research ethical standards, and uses the overall theme of the course in  the candidates own project
• can participate in discussions and critically analyze historical and societal conditions for partcipants to be actively enganged
• know how to investigate, examine  and analyze contextual conditions for health, function and participationwill have the following total learning outcome:

Teaching methods

Lectures, workshops, seminar presentations with opposition and discussion participation in two sessions (3 + 2 days).

The examination assignment starts at the same time as the course, and the candidate receives individual and group-based feedback from fellow students and teachers.

Tentative workload

Lectures: 15 hours

Workshops, seminar with presentation and debate participation: 35 hours

Tutorial and home assignment: 90 hours

Total (5 ECTS credits): 140 hours

Compulsory learning activities

• The students will each present excerpts from their own research and then illustrate with use of theory how contextual conditions can explain relevant aspects in their own research.
• The students will each present an excerpt from their scientific paper and receive feedback from their co-students and teachers as opponents. 
• The students will give a speech based on the topics highlighted in the literature and in the lectures.

 

Self-study and active participation via ICT-based learning platforms are expected between the sessions.

Assessment

Individual written homework assignment in the form of a scientific paper based on the candidates` own PhD project in light of core literature and perspectives highlighted in the course. The paper should have a range of 3500-4000 words.

Grading Pass / fail

If failing to pass, a second exam date allows for an improved version of the scientific paper to be handed in.